Wherefore also we are ambitious - whether at home, or away from home, to be, well-pleasing unto him.

For we must all appear in front of the judgment bar of Christ, so that each one of us may receive what is due him for what he had done while in his [physical] body [i.e., on earth], whether it be good or bad.

Shall I then, who know this terrible judgment of the Lord, endeavour to appease men? as for God, I am approved by him, and I trust also you are convinced of my being so approved.

If we are out of our mind [just unstable fanatics as some critics say], it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for your benefit.

Having judged this, - that, one, in behalf of all, died, hence, they all, died; and, in behalf of all, died he, - in order that, they who live, no longer for themselves, should live, but for him who, in their behalf, died and rose again.

Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more.

But all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ [making us acceptable to Him] and gave us the ministry of reconciliation [so that by our example we might bring others to Him],

That is, God was in Christ restoring the world to fellowship with Himself, not counting people's sins against them. And He entrusted to us the message of restoring people to fellowship [with Him].

Him who knew not sin, in our behalf, he made to be, sin, that we might become God's righteousness in him.

We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain.

but by the consolation I received from you by him, when he acquainted me with your earnest desire to see me, with your concern, and your zeal for me; which greatly increas'd my joy.

Hence, if I even wrote unto you, it was not for the sake of him that did the wrong, naynot even for the sake of him that suffered the wrong; but for the sake of your earnestness, which was on our account, being made manifest unto you, before God:-

That, if in anything - unto him - in your behalf - I have boasted, I have not been put to shame; but, as, all things, in truth, we told you, so, even our boasting before Titus, turned out to be, truth.

And, his tender affections, are, much more abundantly towards you, when he calleth to mind the obedience, of you all, - how, with fear and trembling, ye gave him welcome.

And I am sending with him that brother whose fame in the service of the gospel is spread through all the churches.

And we sent our brother along with him to them, whom we have tried, being frequently zealous in many things, but now much more zealous, with great confidence towards you.

As for Titus, he is my partner and fellow-worker on your behalf. As for our brothers [i.e., those who will accompany him], they are the messengers of the churches and an honor to Christ.

Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.

And now he furnishing seed to him sowing, and bread for food, furnish and multiply your sowing-season, and increase the fruits of your justice;)

Look these facts in the face. If any man is fully persuaded as regards himself that he belongs to Christ, let him consider again with himself, that just as he is Christ's, so also am I.

This one -- let him reckon thus: that such as we are in word, through letters, being absent, such also, being present, we are in deed.

But we will not boast beyond our proper boundaries [Note: This may mean that Paul was not attempting to exercise apostolic authority outside the parameters assigned to him by God], but will restrict our boasting to the area assigned to us by God as a field of service, which includes you people [there in Corinth].

so that I can preach the good news in the regions beyond you, without boasting in another man's sphere of work already done by him.

Meanwhile. Let him who boasts, boast in the Lord.

For the Lord's approval of a man is not dependent on his opinion of himself, but on the Lord's opinion of him.

I have a divine jealousy on your behalf; for I betrothed you to one only husband, even to Christ, that I might present you to him, a chaste virgin.

For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.

Are they ministers of Christ? So am I. I am talking like a man that has gone crazy -- as such I am superior! -- serving Him with labors greater by far, with far more imprisonments, with floggings vastly worse, and often at the point of death.

I have served Him on frequent journeys, in dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my own people, dangers from the heathen, dangers in the city, dangers in the desert, dangers at sea, dangers from false brothers,

but I was let down in a basket through an opening in the wall and escaped from him.

I besought the Lord thrice, to make him leave me.

So, let it be [said] that I did not become a burden to you. But being a clever person, [some are saying] that I took you in by trickery. [Note: Paul is saying that even though he took no financial support from the church, they are accusing him of taking financial advantage of them through other people].

any one of those whom I have sent unto you -- by him did I take advantage of you?

I urged Titus to go, and with him I sent our brother. Did Titus make gain of you? And did I not walk in the same spirit as he did? Did I not take the very same steps?

For though he was crucified through weakness, yet he now lives through the power of God. I also am weak, sharing in his weakness, but I shall live with him by the power of God.

Paul, an apostle sent not from men nor by any man, but by Jesus Christ and by God the Father who raised him from the dead;

who raised him from the dead) And all the brethren who are with me,

to Him be glory forever and ever. Amen.

I am amazed that you are so soon shifting your ground, and deserting him who called you by the grace of Christ,

But even though I myself or an angel from heaven were to preach any gospel other than that which I did preach to you, let him be accursed.

I have said it before, and I now repeat it, if any one is preaching a gospel to you other than that which you have received, let him be accursed.

But when it pleased him who set me apart from my very birth, and called me through his grace,

To give the revelation of his Son in me, so that I might give the news of him to the Gentiles; then I did not take the opinion of flesh and blood,

Then three years later I went up to Jerusalem to get acquainted with Peter, and spent two weeks with him.

Only it came to their ears that he who at one time was cruel to us is now preaching the faith which before had been attacked by him;

But although Titus, my companion, was a Greek, they did not compel even him to be circumcised.

For the one who worked through Peter by making him an apostle to the circumcised also worked through me by sending me to the gentiles.

But when Cephas came to Antioch I resisted him to his face, because he stood self-condemned.

For, before certain [leaders] came from James [i.e., Jesus' brother, a leader of the Jerusalem church, See Acts 12:17; 15:13-22], he had eaten [a social meal] with some Gentiles. But when these men came, he abruptly discontinued this practice out of fear of the circumcised ones [i.e., out of concern for what the Jews would think of him].

And the rest of the Jewish Christians also dissimulated with him, so that even Barnabas was carried away by their hypocrisy.

yet knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in him, and not by the works of the law, by which there is no justification.

I have been crucified with Christ [that is, in Him I have shared His crucifixion]; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body I live by faith [by adhering to, relying on, and completely trusting] in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.

Even as Abraham believed God and it was counted to him for righteousness?

And, predicting that God would consider the Gentiles right with Him by [their] faith, the Scriptures previously recorded [this promise of] the Gospel to Abraham by saying [Gen. 12:3], "All nations will receive a blessing through your descendant [i.e., Jesus]."

But the Scripture has imprisoned everyone [everything—the entire world] under sin, so that [the inheritance, the blessing of salvation] which was promised through faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe [in Him and acknowledge Him as God’s precious Son].

For all of you who were immersed into [a relationship with] Christ have been clothed with Him [i.e., His life].

In him there is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

And if you belong to Christ, then you are real descendants of Abraham, and heirs in accordance with the promise made to him.

But as long as the person who has an inheritance coming to him is a child, he is really no better off than a slave, even though he himself is [rightfully] entitled [to the inheritance].

He is [still] under [the direction of] guardians and managers [of his affairs] until the day his father decides [to give him his inheritance].

or rather that you are favoured by him, how can ye turn again to the weak and beggarly elements of the law, to which you desire again to be in bondage?

But as in those days he who had birth after the flesh was cruel to him who had birth after the Spirit, even so it is now.

Notice, it is I, Paul, who tells you that if you receive circumcision [as a supposed requirement of salvation], Christ will be of no benefit to you [for you will lack the faith in Christ that is necessary for salvation].

Ye are deprived of all profit from the Christ as separated from him, as many as are justified by law; ye have fallen from grace.

For in [our relationship with] Christ neither the practice of circumcision nor refraining from its practice matters in any way; but [all that really matters is having a genuine] faith [in Christ] that causes us to work [for Him] out of a genuine love [for Him and others].

The influence brought to bear does not come from him who is calling you.

For my part I have strong confidence in you in the Lord that you will adopt my view of the matter. But the man--be he who he may--who is troubling you, will have to bear the full weight of the judgement to be pronounced on him.

Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, do you, who are spiritual, restore him with all gentleness, taking heed lest you yourselves be overcome by temptation.

but let each one prove his own work, and then he will have cause to boast with respect to him self only, and not with respect to another:

The one who is taught the word [of God] is to share all good things with his teacher [contributing to his spiritual and material support].

But the last thing I want to do is brag [about such things]. For [if I had any bragging to do at all], it would be about [salvation through] the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, for it is through Him that this [sinful] world has been crucified [i.e., died] as far as I am concerned and I have been crucified [i.e., died] as far as it is concerned.

To Christ's People [AT EPHESUS] who are faithful to him, from Paul, an Apostle of Christ Jesus, by the will of God.

just as [in His love] He chose us in Christ [actually selected us for Himself as His own] before the foundation of the world, so that we would be holy [that is, consecrated, set apart for Him, purpose-driven] and blameless in His sight. In love

He predestined and lovingly planned for us to be adopted to Himself as [His own] children through Jesus Christ, in accordance with the kind intention and good pleasure of His will—

for appreciation of the glory of his grace, by which he blessed us in him who is beloved.

In Him we have redemption [that is, our deliverance and salvation] through His blood, [which paid the penalty for our sin and resulted in] the forgiveness and complete pardon of our sin, in accordance with the riches of His grace

He made known to us the mystery of His will according to His good pleasure, which He purposed in Christ,

The ordering of the times when they are complete, so that all things might come to a head in Christ, the things in heaven and the things on the earth; in him, I say,

In Him also we have received an inheritance [a destiny—we were claimed by God as His own], having been predestined (chosen, appointed beforehand) according to the purpose of Him who works everything in agreement with the counsel and design of His will,

so that we who were the first to hope in Christ [who first put our confidence in Him as our Lord and Savior] would exist to the praise of His glory.

In Him, you also, when you heard the word of truth, the good news of your salvation, and [as a result] believed in Him, were stamped with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit [the One promised by Christ] as owned and protected [by God].

which is the earnest of our inheritance, until the final redemption, acquired by him, come, to the praise of his glory.

[I always pray] that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may grant you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation [that gives you a deep and personal and intimate insight] into the true knowledge of Him [for we know the Father through the Son].

And the transcendent greatness of the power which he is able to exercise in dealing with us who believe in him.

which he energised in the Christ, when he raised him from among the dead, and seated him at his right hand in the heavenlies,

above all the angelic Rulers, Authorities, Powers, and Lords, above every Name that is to be named not only in this age but in the age to come ??22 he has put everything under his feet and set him as head over everything for the church,

And did put, all things, in subjection beneath his feet. And gave him to be head over all things unto the assembly,

Which, indeed, is his body, the fulness of him who, the all things in all, is for himself filling up.

even when we were [spiritually] dead and separated from Him because of our sins, He made us [spiritually] alive together with Christ (for by His grace—His undeserved favor and mercy—you have been saved from God’s judgment).

And He raised us up together with Him [when we believed], and seated us with Him in the heavenly places, [because we are] in Christ Jesus,

for of Him we are workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to good works, which God did before prepare, that in them we may walk.

remember that at that time you were separated from Christ [excluded from any relationship with Him], alienated from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise [with no share in the sacred Messianic promise and without knowledge of God’s agreements], having no hope [in His promise] and [living] in the world without God.

But now [that you are] in [fellowship with] Christ, you [Gentiles], who were once far away [from God], have been brought near [to Him] through the blood of Christ.

And Christ came and preached peace to you [Gentiles], who were far away [from God], and peace to those [Jews] who were near [to Him].

Because, through him, we have our introduction - we both - in one Spirit, unto the Father.

in whom the whole structure is joined together, and it continues [to increase] growing into a holy temple in the Lord [a sanctuary dedicated, set apart, and sacred to the presence of the Lord].

In Him [and in fellowship with one another] you also are being built together into a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.

In whom we have our freedom of speech and introduction with assurance, through the faith of him; -

praying him to grant you according to the riches of his glory to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in your inmost being;

Now, unto him who is able to do, above all things, exceeding abundantly above the things which we ask or conceive, - according to the power which doth energise itself within us, -